Facile combustion based engineering of novel white light emitting Zn2TiO4:Dy3+ nanophosphors for display and forensic applications

Nanomaterials find a wide range of applications in surface based nanoscience and technology. To pass high backward encumbrance, low sensitivity, complicated setup and poor universality in traditional methods for the enhancement of latent fingerprints and display applications, we explored the superstructures of dysprosium (Dy3+) doped Zn2TiO4 via a facile solution combustion route. This method offers new potentials in surface-based science comprising display, latent fingerprint, and luminescent ink for anticounterfeiting applications. The characteristic emissions of intra-4f shell Dy3+ cations in blue, yellow and red regions corresponding to 4F9/2 to 6H15/2, 6H13/2, and 6H11/2 transitions respectively, showed white emission, and the Judd-Ofelt theory was used to estimate photometric parameters. The concentration quenching phenomenon is discussed based on possible interactions. Our study reveals a new prospect of using optimized Zn2TiO4:Dy3+ nanophosphors for research in display, fingerprint detection, cheiloscopy, anti-counterfeiting technology, ceramic pigment and forensic applications.